Page 705 - Neglected Arabia (1916-1920)

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14 NEGLECTED ARABIA

if any, intermingling in visiting, and none in marrying, religious ser­
vices and burying, not even in their cemeteries. The Baharanes are
more fanatical and suspicious, more faithful and exacting in all religious
v practices, and much rfiore aloof in all their dealings with Christians and
i Christian teaching. In the villages this aloofness is intensified. Even

here in Menama, where we have been stationed so many years, there
are pitifully few houses of this class open to us. In none of the towns
and villages of this class can an Arab family be found, and for all that
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the Mission has been on this island almost thirty years, these places are
about as much closed to the Gospel and its messengers as in the first
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year of our occupation. The only means of entrance seems to be medical
and even that seems to be little desired. Most of the one hundred and
sixty-five villages on the islands are Baharanes and, as original inhabi­
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! tants of the island, they come under the jurisdiction of the ruling sheikh.
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i Most of the Arab villages are on the sea coast. ,
There are two ways of transportation in touring the island, by donkey
and bv sail-boat. The donkey is the easier and the quicker, for then one
l is independent of tide and wind. The villages we have been ab e to visi ,
where we have been received, with one or two exceptions, are a unms.
Most of them are eight or more miles distant. When \ve go on a rip
we trv to get an earlv start so as to meet the people during e
noon. This is of special importance for the work ot the men. Th
women are usually at home and since they see so htt e o e w
they are glad to see a visitor from outside. But the men arc m
dependent and unless they are encountered at the ng t im®» •
to be seen. Just at present Mr. Dvkstra and I are ma nng s
to these various towns. We come with no medicine* o rec
to their favor and goodwill. The question is often as 'e , n
you doing here?" “Why did you come?" and when we go
known place or person the question is easily answered, u w difficult
just going about it is not so satisfactorily answered. i wj|j
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to secure a following or an audience in any place, our ■ £?_ j.jnd.
do that for us, but usually such a crowd is not or t e -t is
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In one vallage whenever they see the “kapoose, or ha , c g >
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i the signal for all the boys, large and small, to gather afou^ » women's
not sparing in their remarks and criticisms. Even in 1 e
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apartments there is no refuge from this rabble ot on 0<V *resoect and
dren respect and obey the men but the women comman avails
obedience from these voungsters, and remonstrating \\i wherever
nothing. In B------ it is accepted as a matter ot course that whenever
we are the place will be overrun by this crowd ot spec • - j that
there is no room, “no, not so much as about the door. reason
the women who entertain us must weary of us it or n much
than because of the crowds we attract. It 1S not plea * :n.ninne- t0 be
,lkc the monkey in a cage at a managerie. Neither is i ^cret
?° stafed at and followed, and to be conscious o - sav that
jeers and scoffings that are passed abound, but we are